RAINBOW BRIDGE The vanguard of our pack train on the return from the Rainbow Bridge. The level brook at the bottom is one of the natural ngtmciett that helped to chisel the Bridge. FOREWORD In writing this record of travel exploration in the desert lands of our American Southwest my object has been two-fold. To instil a love for nature even in its bleakest and sternest mood where the conventionally accepted exhibits of beauty are not found, but where beauty, if the traveller wishes to see, exists in fullest measure, and to urge upon others to do as I have done. I am confident that my travelling companions will not consider it an indiscretion that I have given their real names. I hoped thus better to approximate the informalities of campfire talks, that childrens hour of grown-ups living in the open. The idea of giving much space to pictures was sug gested by the popularity and the educational value of the National Geographic Magazine and of Natural History, the magazine published by the American Museum of Natural History of New York City. The journeys described were made in the period of 1915 to 1923, but refer more particularly to those made in the years of 1919 to 1923, inclusive. I do not pretend to be even an amateur naturalist. I have simply tried to absorb what I saw and felt and heard. I have made deductions of my own and have checked them with those of my companions. I have viii wanted to see with the eye of the naturalist and to stimulate my powers of observation and deduction. The recital is based on a diary, the entries in which were made daily while in camp, sometimes while wait ing for the packtrain to be loaded or unloaded, some times while meals were being prepared. Thediary took the form of a letter addressed to my wife, though I was the courier. CONTENTS THE 1921 EXPEDITION ... 1 The Urge of the Subconscious Wish . . 1 Navajo Mountain . 6 Concerning the Outfit . . 10 Kayenta .... 19 The Chicken Pull .... 26 The Wetherill Home . . 29 Bluff . 30 The Preparation of the Packtrain . 32 Expedition of 1921 . . .34 Betatakin ..... .35 Inscription House .... . 37 Not-si-san, 41 Jay-i to Colorado River via Sirocco Pass 46 Colorado River Camp ... . . 52 Navajo Canyon . . . 56 Navajo Home Life ... ... .63 Jay-i to Clematis Camp ... . 65 Stumped . . 67 Goldenrod Canyon . . . 70 Change of Objective . ... 72 Beaver Creek . 73 The Baldheads . . . .75 The Rainbow Bridge . . . 76 A Hike to the Colorado River ... ... 83 Homeward in 1921 .... 85 Piute and Nokai Canyon . . . .87 Food Supply Getting Low 89 THE 1922 EXPEDITION 95 Rough Trail Camp .100 Sagito 101 x CONTENTS PAGE Scouting and a Decision 102 Crossing the Saddle into Cliff Canyon 105 Painted Rock Camp 107 Substitutes Ill Camp Loafing 114 Exploration of Lower Forbidding Canyon .... 116 Charcoal Cave 119 No Name Mesa 120 Homeward in 1922 . 124 Nasja Creek 125 Cha Brook 128 The Law of the Desert 129 Zane Grey Canyon 133 Keetseel 136 Medicines .... 139 THE 1923 EXPEDITION . 145 Aztec 145 Shiprock 147 Cemetery Ridge 149 Tse-a-Chong 153 Petroglyph Rock 159 Round Rock 160 Greasewood 165 Canyon del Muerto 166 Screen Cave 167 Mummy Cave 168 Antelope Cave 170 POSTSCRIPT, SYNOPSIS OF 1924 EXPEDITION . ... 175 Navajo Canyon 176 Cummings Mesa 177 Dinosaur Tracks 179 Appendix 181 DRAMATIS PERSONS JOHN WETHERILL, Kayenta, Arizona Discoverer of Rainbow Natural Bridge, guide, student, geologist, and expert on matters relatingto the American Indian United States Government Custodian of Rainbow Natural Bridge and Cliff Ruins. MRS. JOHN WETHERILL, Kayenta, Arizona Known to the Indians as Shema Yazi, my little mother a woman of extraordinary ability in handling Indians a student of Indian folk-lore lecturer at the University of Arizona and elsewhere...